VT-8 on the USS Hornet

The next pictures have an interesting history.It seems
that a photographer was filming VT-8 on the USS
Hornet.After the battle Adm. Fletcher heard that John
Ford had filmed the battle from Midway Island in color
so he gave the film to Mr. Ford with instructions that
it was to be edited into a tribute to Torpedo Eight
and a copy given to each family of the men lost of
VT-8.Thus only about 30 copies of the film was made
and the guy that had posted these stills made from the
film was lucky enough to locate and obtain one of the
copies.The first one shows Ensign Gay,the sole
survivor of VT-8,and his gunner(although Gay did have
a different gunner in 6/4/42).I find interesting in
the picture the corrigated aluminum covering of the
wings of the TBD.Although very strong the drag had to
have a srtong effect on the performance of the TBD